Science and technology are working both as a blessing and curse for modern parents. Even two decades ago parents used to get a training wheel bike for the toddlers. There were no other options to choose from. Now this is not as easy as there is a new product called “balance bike”. Parents around the world are gradually falling in love with the no-pedal bikes. But there are grandparents or other elderly persons who are telling that bikes with training wheel are the way to go. So many parents are getting confused by this debate. Balance bike vs Training wheels debate is stronger than ever. We know this, so we will try to solve this debate for all in this article today. We are going to talk about all the aspects of both balance bikes and bikes with training wheels. In simpler term we are going to compare them to make it easy for all you parents out there.

Starting age

The no pedals bikes are made for kids aged between 2 to 5. A brand like Strider makes these bikes with adjustable seats. Parents get to use the same bike for a couple of years. Thanks to the adjustable seat option the bicycle riding lesson can begin at the tender age of just 18 months. For bicycle with training wheels lowest age is at least 3 years old.

Weight

Balance bikes could be very lightweight. Some of these no-pedal bikes weigh only 3 lbs. So, your kids can easily take care of these low weight bikes by themselves. There are some new age bikes which are lightweight, but adding a pair of training wheel always makes them heavy. Parents always need to be there when kids are taking out their cycle with training wheels.

Safety

This is the major reason why even doctors are now advising the parents to opt out for balance bikes. Kids, even toddlers cannot fall off from balance bikes. Safety is a big concern when it comes to products made for a kid. Bikes with training wheels can not guarantee the same level of safety. Kids often fell off from the bike with training wheels.

Kid’s choice

Most little kids may not like to ride bikes with training wheels as they are heavy. On the contrary, balance bike weighs like their other toys. These bikes are also very colorful so your kids will easily get attracted to them. Therefore you do not need to pursue the kids to go out and play.

Price

Brands like Strider has been selling balance bike at a really cheap price. These bikes are hugely popular all over the world as they are very safe to use. Not all parents like to buy a real bike for kids aged 3 or 4. For them, a balance bike is a great option.

Adult supervision

Bike with training wheels is not anything special. It’s a bicycle that has two extra wheels so that the first time riders find it easy to balance. You cannot give your kid a bike with training wheels and leave them alone. You have to be there. At the same time, balance bike has no-pedal and it’s specially designed for toddlers. Even very small kids will be able to ride them independently. They will learn to balance on a real bike all by themselves thanks to the no-pedal bikes.

A balance bike is like pre-school which gradually makes the kid ready for future. A survey proved that kids learnt to use real bike quicker when they used a balance bike. It’s a great invention, childhood falling off from bike accidents can just be a thing of past with the use of balance bikes.

Raising a kid is never an easy job, every little decision matters a lot. Being a parent of two kids I understand how much responsibilities we have towards them. The thing is same when it comes to choosing a balance bike for your loving kid also. Modern parents want to start the bike ride of their toddlers with a balance bike but brands are not making it easier for them to choose a product. Some of the brands are making balance bikes with woods while others are choosing steel as the main material. Now as a parent, you want to give your kids the very best of everything.

Balance bikes are for toddlers especially for those aged below 3, so the parents don’t want to get the wrong product. It’s your job to decide which balance bike is better for your kid, balance bike made of wood or balance bike made of steel? This may sound very simple but it’s really not. Today we are going to talk about this, we want to tell you how much attention you need to pay on the material that the balance bike is made from.

Wooden balance bikes

In the age of going everything eco-friendly it is hard to fall for a wooden balance bike. These bikes are made of lightweight woods. Brands who use wood to make no-pedal balance bikes claim that these bikes are very durable. But as you can guess wood cannot be totally durable, it can be water resistant.

No brand can claim that a wooden product will never break down, no matter what the price of the product is. Wooden balance bikes are top sellers all over the world. We are also not saying that they are bad. But we also want to tell you the truth. We started with the negative point about the wooden bikes, now something positive about them. Wooden balance bikes are lightweight and since woods have been used as the material, there is no chance that the kids will have any kind of chemical reaction. Wooden bikes give your toddlers good postures and they will be able to carry the bike all by themselves. But wooden bicycles have limited range when it comes to the looks.

Many parents still prefer wooden balance bikes because of their environment friendly nature though they are not long lasting or great looking. Since toddlers will use this product at most for one year only wooden bikes are not a bad idea at all.

Steel balance bikes

Steel is one of the most durable materials in the world and this is the reason household utilities are made of steel. Lots of parents think that steel made balance bike will never get ruined; it will be worth the price. These bikes are the best sellers everywhere because of their versatility. These no-pedal bikes look no less stylish than the bikes made for professionals. Brands too are adding new things to the steel made balance bikes which attracting more parents.

Steel bikes can also be very lightweight, some of them weighs only 4 lbs. Steel made balance bikes have great handlebars and adjustable seat, finding parts separately if needed is also easy. Lastly, the price of steel balance bike starts very low. The reasonable prices make it one of the best choices to the middle class parents.

Conclusion

Most popular brands use steel to make balance bikes. Wooden balance bikes are rare. According to us, steel balance bikes are more practical, but wood balance bikes are not too bad either.

Your toddlers are not going to follow all the instructions you gave them before riding a balance bike. You can give them a helmet, buy the best balance bike available in the market, but they can still fall off from the bike. So it’s important for all you parents to find a place where the kids will not get hurt even if they fall off from the bike. For parents of suburban areas finding lanes where there are no cars is easy, but same cannot be said about the parents who live in NYC. However, you can always find safe places for kids to ride balance bikes no matter where in this world you live in. So let’s take a look at the safest places to allow the kids to ride their no-pedal bikes.

Parks

All cities have parks. This is one good thing that city authorities did. These parks are a savior for parents who live in one bedroom apartment. Cities like NYC have real good parks which are the safest places for your toddler to ride their balance bike. There is also a chance that your kid will find a friend there, with whom he or she will able to enjoy the balance bike riding lesson.

Sidewalks

For those times when you just cannot manage to get out time from your busy schedule to take the kid to the park, use the sidewalks in front of your home. It’s a very safe place and kids can use the place anytime they want.

Nature

This is the best option. Take the balance bike with you when you are going for an overnight campaign trip. Your kids will be able to get exercise in fresh air, which will be great for their health.

Lawns in front of the house

Some people are still lucky enough to live in a house that has a garden. Kids of these houses can take their bikes to the garden, and the best part is that they do not need to get anyone’s permission to do this. You really do not need to have a spacious garden for kids to ride the balance bike. A small lawn will also work fine.

Skate parks

Skate parks are not a very usual choice, but they are great when it comes to the safety. Your kid can go and learn to balance on a bike there for hours. The surface is flat and you will not need to worry about kids getting hurt if they fall down.

So these are the places that you can use as a balance bike practice place for your toddlers. But let’s also talk about the places that are not so safe for your kids to learn balance bikes.

Do not ever allow your child to ride the bike in front of a river

Do not take the bike out in roads where there is too much traffic

The uneven path is not great for a balance bike. Kids could get seriously hurt

If you live in front of a busy street then always try to be there with the kid when he takes the balance bike on the road.

Keep this instruction in mind and your child will have a great time riding their no-pedal bikes.